After re-writing my way through a couple manuscripts now, I'm finding that the third time is not the charm.
When I sat down to write my first one, I hammered it out in like 30 minutes and figured I rocked that puppy. Then I started reading this fabulous book "Writing Picture Books" by Ann Whitford Paul. And with each chapter I re-wrote, re-imagined, and re-focused my manuscript. Then I went through the whole thing another two times and revamped it each time. And then I let some folks critique it. And wrote it again. And then I finally submitted it. And now I wait for an editor to hopefully love it enough to send me more revision notes!
My second manuscript is still in the revision process. And while I haven't had to rewrite it as much as the first, it is still on version 7.0 or something like that.
So, as I have this fabulous idea in my head for my third manuscript, I'm hesitant to start. Not because I'm afraid of revision, but I'm clogging my brain so much with what I've learned, I'm having a hard time writing anything. I would start a sentence and think, "Oh, but I should use stronger words there." Or, "I shouldn't introduce a character like that." I finally just made myself sputter the idea out on a page so I have a starting place. I'm finding that trying to coordinate all of that knowledge about character, form, plot, pacing, word choice, strong beginnings, satisfying endings, showing instead of telling, etc. is just impossible to get down all at once. Revisions are the key to getting all that in. Hopefully more than one point can be addressed in each revision, but if not, so be it. I must be patient with myself as I learn! My blissful ignorance sure did make that first version of the first manuscript much easier to get down.
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Every book day is like Christmas day
Yesterday was my father's birthday and, naturally, we went to a bookstore to find him a present. This is a terrible idea! Me and my husband and our three boys in a bookstore is a recipe for financial disaster. We could easily have to get a second mortgage if we aren't careful in there.
Now, my eldest son had made a deal with me that he could spend some of his piggy bank money on some books he was wanting. Okay, no big deal. But then the two younger ones see the oldest with books in his hand (when my usual mantra in the bookstore is, "no books today"). Oh the injustice! The misery! Sadly, we can not afford to buy a lot of books in the bookstore. We are library/garage-sale/second-hand-store book people. I want to support my fellow writers by buying their books retail, but it just isn't always possible. So, I had to convince the "not fair" chorus that we would buy them books at a second hand store later this week.
In the end though, I couldn't help but think what a wonderful problem this is to have. My husband and I have actually had to devise a strategy because our children want books so badly. How awesome! I remember the same desire when I was a kid too. Every once in a while I'd get to order books from the book order forms that came home. And when they arrived...JOY! And for a while we belonged to several book-by-mail clubs. Some of those books are still my favorite today. Not necessarily because they are the best books, but getting them produced such happiness, it has carried with me all these years.
How fantastically awesome would it be to be the writer of a book that brought a child that much joy? That's one reason I write.
Now, my eldest son had made a deal with me that he could spend some of his piggy bank money on some books he was wanting. Okay, no big deal. But then the two younger ones see the oldest with books in his hand (when my usual mantra in the bookstore is, "no books today"). Oh the injustice! The misery! Sadly, we can not afford to buy a lot of books in the bookstore. We are library/garage-sale/second-hand-store book people. I want to support my fellow writers by buying their books retail, but it just isn't always possible. So, I had to convince the "not fair" chorus that we would buy them books at a second hand store later this week.
In the end though, I couldn't help but think what a wonderful problem this is to have. My husband and I have actually had to devise a strategy because our children want books so badly. How awesome! I remember the same desire when I was a kid too. Every once in a while I'd get to order books from the book order forms that came home. And when they arrived...JOY! And for a while we belonged to several book-by-mail clubs. Some of those books are still my favorite today. Not necessarily because they are the best books, but getting them produced such happiness, it has carried with me all these years.
How fantastically awesome would it be to be the writer of a book that brought a child that much joy? That's one reason I write.
Monday, September 27, 2010
"Stop screaming!" I yelled
Do you ever have a moment as an adult where you think, "What in the world is wrong with me?" I have those moments a lot as a parent. I often find myself wondering what my children must think of their slightly deranged mother. I mean, really. Who has fits over eating one bite of broccoli (not just the bushy tree part, but the WHOLE thing)? What kind of person goes nuts because there are puzzle pieces in seven different rooms in the house? I do. That's who.
Occasionally I have these moments of very un-mom-like clarity when I think, "this is why kids think grown-ups are nuts." And such is the stuff of picture book legend! So often in picture books the adult is either absent, part of the problem to overcome, or a baffling enigma to the child. And rightly so. It is important for the grown-ups to be characterized this way, I think. We force our adult world on to them too often in too many ways as it is. And besides, it is how children genuinely see most adults (with some obvious exceptions). And who can blame them when I do things like restrict candy intake, wash faces with spit-moistened napkins, and look at them like they've lost their heads when they turn chairs upside-down to sit on them? I routinely hear myself say things that I would have thought ridiculous as a child. Tapping into that part of myself is essential as an author...and as a parent. Maybe I should stop giving fuel to my children's perceptions...
Nah.
Occasionally I have these moments of very un-mom-like clarity when I think, "this is why kids think grown-ups are nuts." And such is the stuff of picture book legend! So often in picture books the adult is either absent, part of the problem to overcome, or a baffling enigma to the child. And rightly so. It is important for the grown-ups to be characterized this way, I think. We force our adult world on to them too often in too many ways as it is. And besides, it is how children genuinely see most adults (with some obvious exceptions). And who can blame them when I do things like restrict candy intake, wash faces with spit-moistened napkins, and look at them like they've lost their heads when they turn chairs upside-down to sit on them? I routinely hear myself say things that I would have thought ridiculous as a child. Tapping into that part of myself is essential as an author...and as a parent. Maybe I should stop giving fuel to my children's perceptions...
Nah.
Sunday, September 26, 2010
Weekend Recommendation #3
Howdy folks! I've been on a blog-induced high this weekend seeing all the visitors to my blog from "The Great Blogging Experiment"! I hope some folks check back in occasionally. Or think of my blog fondly at random intervals..."Gee, that Megan Bickel had a nice blog. Now where did I put my soup spoon? Is the square root of pi really a useful number?" That sort of thing.
Any-whoozle. On to my weekend recommendation. Remember, I'm no book reviewer. I just like to pass on a title each weekend that I've enjoyed. And then when you are at the library or bookstore you can think, "What should I get? What did that lovely Megan Bickel recommend? Where did I put my soup spoon?"
This week, I'm going to sing the praises of another book written and illustrated by the same person and, while this is a picture book, I'm going to recommend it for adults and older kids (my eight year old found it spectacular but my little ones didn't get it and lost interest). It is Mimi's Dada Catifesto by Shelley Jackson.
I will admit that it took me a little bit to get into this book because it actually does deal with dadaism and I wasn't fully prepared for such a topic when I picked up a picture book. But it is worth the effort! Humorous, informative, crazy and dadaist to the max. Enjoy!
Any-whoozle. On to my weekend recommendation. Remember, I'm no book reviewer. I just like to pass on a title each weekend that I've enjoyed. And then when you are at the library or bookstore you can think, "What should I get? What did that lovely Megan Bickel recommend? Where did I put my soup spoon?"
This week, I'm going to sing the praises of another book written and illustrated by the same person and, while this is a picture book, I'm going to recommend it for adults and older kids (my eight year old found it spectacular but my little ones didn't get it and lost interest). It is Mimi's Dada Catifesto by Shelley Jackson.
I will admit that it took me a little bit to get into this book because it actually does deal with dadaism and I wasn't fully prepared for such a topic when I picked up a picture book. But it is worth the effort! Humorous, informative, crazy and dadaist to the max. Enjoy!
Friday, September 24, 2010
How to Write Compelling Characters
Today I'm taking part in the "The Great Blogging Experiment" started by YA author, Elana Johnson. She suggested we all write on the topic above and just see how many different kinds of posts we get. Over 150 people signed up to participate! So check out Elana's blog here and check out the vast list of participants (including Elana herself).
On to the topic! How to write compelling characters. This is a very interesting subject to me in terms of picture books. Most of the advice I've read on this is geared toward YA or middle grade authors. All of the advice-givers say that it can apply to picture books as well, but I think there are some different things at play for the picture book audience.
First, your character has to be illustratable! There is a very fine balance in picture books between revealing your character's attributes in the writing, and letting the illustrator be a creative force as well. I find that I always over-describe in my first few drafts of a story. Then I have to start deleting. I these initial description overkills are necessary for me to get the character solidly in my head, but they do eventually have to be taken out for the sake of the audience and the illustrator.
Second, characters don't have to be human, but the audience still has to relate to them. I realize there are some YA and MG exceptions to the human rule, but it is obviously much more common in picture books to find non-human characters. Personally, I haven't written any "talking animal" stories yet. I read great ones everyday and my children love them, but I have trouble writing them. I am a very strong believer that a picture book's main character has to be totally relatable to a child and I'm just not able to write relatable animals (or leaves, creatures, fruit, whatever) yet. I hope to experiment with it soon, but until I feel I can get it right, I'll leave it to the experts.
Finally, I have been asking myself all week what makes a character compelling to a three year old. Looking at my own three year old, he seems to go for characters that exude the same kinds of helplessness that he has in his life. The brilliance of a good PB writer shines when they are capturing the vulnerabilities of a child while not making the child-reader feel threatened or adrift in a big scary world. That is such a fine line for the picture book to walk. Using the above mentioned non-human characters is one way to do this (think Clifford and Curious George), but what are some other ways? That is the question I am wrestling with right now in my writing. I'd love to hear your ideas (if any of you fellow bloggers touched on this in your post today, leave the link!).
On to the topic! How to write compelling characters. This is a very interesting subject to me in terms of picture books. Most of the advice I've read on this is geared toward YA or middle grade authors. All of the advice-givers say that it can apply to picture books as well, but I think there are some different things at play for the picture book audience.
First, your character has to be illustratable! There is a very fine balance in picture books between revealing your character's attributes in the writing, and letting the illustrator be a creative force as well. I find that I always over-describe in my first few drafts of a story. Then I have to start deleting. I these initial description overkills are necessary for me to get the character solidly in my head, but they do eventually have to be taken out for the sake of the audience and the illustrator.
Second, characters don't have to be human, but the audience still has to relate to them. I realize there are some YA and MG exceptions to the human rule, but it is obviously much more common in picture books to find non-human characters. Personally, I haven't written any "talking animal" stories yet. I read great ones everyday and my children love them, but I have trouble writing them. I am a very strong believer that a picture book's main character has to be totally relatable to a child and I'm just not able to write relatable animals (or leaves, creatures, fruit, whatever) yet. I hope to experiment with it soon, but until I feel I can get it right, I'll leave it to the experts.
Finally, I have been asking myself all week what makes a character compelling to a three year old. Looking at my own three year old, he seems to go for characters that exude the same kinds of helplessness that he has in his life. The brilliance of a good PB writer shines when they are capturing the vulnerabilities of a child while not making the child-reader feel threatened or adrift in a big scary world. That is such a fine line for the picture book to walk. Using the above mentioned non-human characters is one way to do this (think Clifford and Curious George), but what are some other ways? That is the question I am wrestling with right now in my writing. I'd love to hear your ideas (if any of you fellow bloggers touched on this in your post today, leave the link!).
Thursday, September 23, 2010
When research makes me dizzy
Monday I talked about how researching picture books is a lot of fun. But book research is only half the battle when you are interested in being published. You also have to research those people who may publish your work and/or represent you. In other words, publishing houses (and magazines, in my case) and agents.
For me, magazines came first. With the help of my sister-in-law, Sue, I found the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI). She has been published in a few magazines and told me SCBWI is the place to start. She was very right. SCBWI is a wealth of information and support. Part of what they provide is a listing of children's magazines, their websites, guidelines, etc. So, with that in hand, I've been able to find how to submit and who to submit to and get an education on the kinds of things they put in their issues. Not too bad.
Then came picture book publishers. Again, SCBWI has a handy listing of publishers and what they publish, how to submit to them, if they take manuscripts from unagented writers, if they accept manuscripts sent to more than one publisher at a time, and so on. This is where is starts to get complicated though. Because just looking at this list is not enough. You have to put in the time to research the exact kinds of books each publisher wants. This involves lengthy trips to their websites, libraries and bookstores. It is also hard to keep track of all the rules of each publisher. I'm a very organized person when it comes to this endeavor, but I still get lost and confused from time to time. To add to my information overload here, I also purchased a copy of the 2011 Children's Writer's & Illustrator's Market, which contains another listing of publishers and their particulars.
Then comes the agent question. There are quite a few publishers that won't look at unagented materials, including a lot of the "big" houses. This is quite understandable, but it adds to the research tornado. Do I want an agent? Is it worth trying to find one? Then I could just write and have my agent submit things to publishers. But, it is difficult to find one (especially for picture book writers) and if I want one, it is time to start a whole new level of research! There are hundreds of agents looking for different things, with different submission or query requirements, with different personalities and work style.
Oy. So, in the end, I'm researching on many levels. I'm not currently going to try to find an agent, but I still keep my ears and eyes open about them because I may pursue that down the road. This path to publication is not for the faint of heart, or the research-phobic!
For me, magazines came first. With the help of my sister-in-law, Sue, I found the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI). She has been published in a few magazines and told me SCBWI is the place to start. She was very right. SCBWI is a wealth of information and support. Part of what they provide is a listing of children's magazines, their websites, guidelines, etc. So, with that in hand, I've been able to find how to submit and who to submit to and get an education on the kinds of things they put in their issues. Not too bad.
Then came picture book publishers. Again, SCBWI has a handy listing of publishers and what they publish, how to submit to them, if they take manuscripts from unagented writers, if they accept manuscripts sent to more than one publisher at a time, and so on. This is where is starts to get complicated though. Because just looking at this list is not enough. You have to put in the time to research the exact kinds of books each publisher wants. This involves lengthy trips to their websites, libraries and bookstores. It is also hard to keep track of all the rules of each publisher. I'm a very organized person when it comes to this endeavor, but I still get lost and confused from time to time. To add to my information overload here, I also purchased a copy of the 2011 Children's Writer's & Illustrator's Market, which contains another listing of publishers and their particulars.
Then comes the agent question. There are quite a few publishers that won't look at unagented materials, including a lot of the "big" houses. This is quite understandable, but it adds to the research tornado. Do I want an agent? Is it worth trying to find one? Then I could just write and have my agent submit things to publishers. But, it is difficult to find one (especially for picture book writers) and if I want one, it is time to start a whole new level of research! There are hundreds of agents looking for different things, with different submission or query requirements, with different personalities and work style.
Oy. So, in the end, I'm researching on many levels. I'm not currently going to try to find an agent, but I still keep my ears and eyes open about them because I may pursue that down the road. This path to publication is not for the faint of heart, or the research-phobic!
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Dance a little happy dance
Yesterday was one of my days I got to go to the library all by my little lonesome to do a little work. I was very happy to have a couple hours to just write, as this seems to happen about once a week at this point. Full of optimism and enthusiasm, I sat down in my cubbie and opened my notebook. And then I checked my e-mail on my phone. And then I checked Twitter. And then I read some of my book on picture book writing. And then I flipped through my listing of publishers. And then I stared at the blank page again. One hour down and no writing on the page.
So I started brainstorming. Painfully. Slow. Brainstorming.
Then I surfed the web. Then I checked my e-mail. Then I sat and stared at the stacks around me. Augh! I e-mailed my husband and he (very wisely) said, "You need a break." I was annoyed with myself since I so rarely get writing time and I couldn't write. But, when the muse isn't there, the muse isn't there. So, I took my husband's advice and packed it in. I got in my car and put on some very loud music and drove to pick up my son from pre-school. Right in the middle of my off-tune shout/singing of "Bad Romance" the idea I had been trying to coax out, hit me. Luckily I had just pulled into a parking spot at the school because this warranted some serious dancing. And thank goodness I was early and the other parents weren't around yet, as my dancing is libel to be mistaken for a medical emergency. But I danced for a good five minutes at the joy of breakthrough.
Now I just have to wait until next week's two hour window to actually write it!
So I started brainstorming. Painfully. Slow. Brainstorming.
Then I surfed the web. Then I checked my e-mail. Then I sat and stared at the stacks around me. Augh! I e-mailed my husband and he (very wisely) said, "You need a break." I was annoyed with myself since I so rarely get writing time and I couldn't write. But, when the muse isn't there, the muse isn't there. So, I took my husband's advice and packed it in. I got in my car and put on some very loud music and drove to pick up my son from pre-school. Right in the middle of my off-tune shout/singing of "Bad Romance" the idea I had been trying to coax out, hit me. Luckily I had just pulled into a parking spot at the school because this warranted some serious dancing. And thank goodness I was early and the other parents weren't around yet, as my dancing is libel to be mistaken for a medical emergency. But I danced for a good five minutes at the joy of breakthrough.
Now I just have to wait until next week's two hour window to actually write it!
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